Chef's Corner

Dining Out in 2012 with Rekaya Gibson

Americans have a love affair with food. So when we’re dining out, we want to make sure that the cuisine accommodates our every desire. Finding a good restaurant isn’t easy. Most people don’t know where to look to find good cuisine and sometimes it’s a hit or miss. What we can all agree on is that no one wants to spend their money on food they will not enjoy. Well, we’re in luck because author and food critic Rekaya Gibson has scouted out assorted restaurants. She’s sharing her culinary experiences to help us find a good meal that will lure us off the highway and into some of her favorite picks for the best restaurants of 2012.

Being a foodie at heart, all of Gibson’s books are about food or involve food. “I’ve been cooking since I was about 8 years old when I started watching my parents in the kitchen. So I have always had this love for food, dining out and experimenting with recipes. When I started my writing career, I started writing about food,” says Gibson. Her first book is a fiction novel called “The Food Temptress.” In this book, she writes about dating, food, and romance. The character in the novel is a woman who uses food to seduce men into being the perfect guy. Each short story serves up a delectable treat that captures the hearts and minds of different men. Gibson has gone on to write several other books, including a sequel, “The Food Enchantress” and “Are There French Fries in Heaven?” a children’s book released this past July and a coloring book called “My Mama’s Sweet Potato Pie.” She has even started her own publishing company called Gibson Girl Publishing Company.

Gibson’s knowledge of food stems from her passion for cooking and eating different cuisines. The Fort Wayne, Ind. native has lived and traveled to many places and sampled various foods from different regions. “I lived in New Orleans for about 14 years. I lived in Las Vegas, D.C., Maryland and Denver. I’ve been all over and now I live in Virginia, so I’ve been able to experience quite a bit of food.” In her new blog called All Occasions Eater, Gibson journeys across the country to review restaurants. “I try to eat at restaurants that I might not try, just to get the experience. I tend to find that I like more spicy food, so I tend to like the foods in New Orleans. But I definitely have enjoyed some of the different ethnic foods and I’ve enjoyed the higher end foods too,” she says. If you’re hankering for some truly mouth-watering fare, you may want to make a reservation at one of Gibson 2012 picks from the following restaurants.

Whether you are traveling or looking for some great places to eat over the holidays, be sure to try some of these restaurants. For recipes and more information on Rekaya Gibson and her novels visit www.foodtemptress.com. Also, be on the lookout for her new cookbook “Cooking on a Store Dollar Budget,” her new blog for restaurant reviews, All Occasions Eater, and her Top 10 Restaurants for 2013. Here’s a sneak peek at her list.

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